New Lathums album day. And I’m enjoying it. Plenty of what they’re good at, and a little bit extra.
It’s good stuff.
And because familiarity is important, it was good to kick off with songs like Struggle, Sad Face Baby and Say My Name, all of which we knew and loved (and the last of which maybe the Tall Accountant might actually go for, as well). But then there are other tracks like Rise and Fall, Facets and Land and Sky, which I didn’t know, but which have that classic Lathums feel that makes them instantly likeable and easy to enjoy.
There’s variety too, though. Hawley-esque and Motown vibes in I Know Pt 1. Housemartins’ happiness on Lucky Bean. The epic 8 minutes plus of storytelling on Undeserving. And for me, the stand out track: Crying Out. Such power and passion.
And then – and I really don’t want this to be the thing you remember from this post about what is a very good album, but – there’s Turmoil. That’s the name of the track, as well as the effect on my feelings, because this one also sounds a bit familiar, but it’s not Lathums familiar…
And worryingly (worryingly for a number of different reasons), I was able to work out what familiar it was ever so quickly. Remember this?
Look, I really do think that it’s more a problem with me, rather than with the Lathums, to whom I apologise profusely for casting any aspersions. But music is meant to take you places, and just for a moment, I was back on the 1988 French Exchange Trip to Dornes.
Not where I was expecting to be today.